Madrid put strain on their arch rivals.
Real Madrid moved within a point of Barcelona on the prime of LaLiga as they noticed off Sevilla 2-0 on the Santiago Bernabeu.
Madrid had misplaced their final two residence video games, struggling defeats to Celta Vigo and Manchester Metropolis previous to away wins over Alaves and Talavera, the latter within the Copa del Rey.
And so they had been unconvincing for lengthy durations in opposition to a Sevilla aspect that shocked Barcelona earlier within the season and created loads of probabilities in Saturday’s tight encounter.
Jude Bellingham broke the impasse with a first-half header, and Madrid noticed a number of alternatives to increase the lead go begging.
The dismissal of Marcao for a second bookable offence made Madrid’s job simpler, and Kylian Mbappe’s late penalty made positive of the factors, his 59th Madrid objective in 2025 transferring him degree with Cristiano Ronaldo for probably the most by a Los Blancos participant in a calendar 12 months.
Bellingham places Actual Madrid forward
Fran Garcia was denied by a wise Odysseas Vlachodimos save within the fourth minute earlier than Sevilla provided an illustration of their risk when Isaac Romero lifted a end over Thibaut Courtois however vast of the right-hand put up.
Mbappe then fired throughout the face of objective and narrowly vast, however Bellingham’s sensible header had each energy and precision after he rose to fulfill Rodrygo’s free-kick from the best within the thirty eighth minute.
What seemed to be creating right into a irritating night for Mbappe continued early within the second half as he spurned a pair of probabilities to double the lead, and he had Courtois to thank for making certain his profligacy was not punished.
The Belgian twice denied the damaging Romero, earlier than Mbappe hit the crossbar with a looping header.
Courtois displayed his fantastic reflexes once more to show a long-range effort from Alexis Sanchez behind, however he had a quieter sport after Marcao obtained his second yellow for a foul on Bellingham.
Unwell-discipline would in the end be Sevilla’s undoing.
Mbappe makes historical past
Vlachodimos produced heroics to disclaim Rodrygo a shocking objective, the Brazilian’s turning volley tipped over by the Greece worldwide, but the on-loan Newcastle United goalkeeper was powerless to stop Mbappe from settling issues.
Juan Sanchez tripped Rodrygo within the space and Mbappe tucked away the ensuing spot-kick with consummate ease as he made historical past by tying Ronaldo.
Madrid appeared to have one other penalty when Bellingham went over within the space, just for the referee’s authentic to be overturned following a VAR assessment.
That was merely a footnote in a routine if unconvincing win for Madrid, who will now see if Villarreal can do them a favour once they face Barca on Sunday.
